Schwarber, who signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Washington Nationals in the offseason, shot a video that was shown Tuesday afternoon at Middletown High School. Schwarber, a 2011 MHS graduate, said he plans to be “heavily involved” in the league and hopes it brings back baseball to the city.
He said the camps and league will be “generational” and are “here to stay.”
He’s asking the community to support the baseball league by donating money or baseball equipment.
Decades ago, Middletown had a robust youth baseball program that played its games at Smith Park. Then those baseball diamonds were bulldozed and turned into soccer fields. Kids who want to play youth baseball now travel outside the city.
Leaders at Berachah Church, which holds its services in the former Verity Middle School on Johns Road, are spearheading the youth baseball league. When the church was negotiating purchasing the school and the 58 acres from the district, Pastor Lamar Ferrell said it made a commitment to use the property “as a gift to our community.”
Over the last 10 season, Middletown’s baseball teams have compiled a 78-177 record with one winning season, according to the Greater Miami Conference records.
“What was has fallen,” Ferrell said during the press conference.
He said the “bedrock of baseball” has to be fundamentals and he believes that starts with camps that are affordable and enjoyable.
Ferrell said Berachah is holding three Sunday FUNdamental sessions from 2-3:30 p.m. June 13, July 18 and Aug. 15 at the Middletown Baseball Fields at Lefferson Park, then an all-day camp on Sept. 25 when Schwarber may attend depending on his schedule with the Nationals,
The sessions will be free and refreshments will be served.
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